The Minnesota Clinical Laboratory Collaborative is a two-day in-person, annual Continuing Education event
held in the Spring in collaboration with other professional organizations.
What you can expect when attending:Multi-day continuing education event featuring keynote speakers and a student day.Silent Auction with all proceeds going to the Elizabeth Panning Scholarship Fund.Collaboration with a local charity to provide much needed item donations to a good cause.Social event to network with vendors and peers.
Meeting Location
Saint Paul College 235 Marshall Ave, St. Paul, MN 55102
Rooms: University Center (1506-1510), City View Hall (1160), Classrooms (1512, 1514, 1518, 2225)
Register to Attend
*If paying by credit card, there will be a 6% processing fee to the cost of registration*Where to Stay for the 2026 CLCPlease note that the hotels are suggestions based on proximity to the event. No room blocks were reserved at these hotels.
175 West 7th Street, Saint Paul, MN 55102
Phone: 651.556.1411
Radisson Hotel Saint Paul Downtown
161 Rondo Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55103
Phone: 651.227.8711
Springhill Suites by Marriott Saint Paul Downtown
472 Jackson St, St Paul, MN 55101
Phone: 651.412.9515
Parking
Lot B and the Parking Ramp are closest to the West Entrance, where the majority of the event will be held.
The Bond Between is a Minnesota-based nonprofit dedicated to strengthening the connection between people and animals. Formerly known as Secondhand Hounds, the organization has rescued more than 30,000 dogs and cats since 2009, while also building programs that help families stay united with their pets through community resources and affordable veterinary care.
Their mission is simple yet powerful: to build, support, and reinforce the bond between people and pets.
Supply Wish List Here
THINGS TO DO WHILE YOU’RE HERE
The conference venue’s prime location in St. Paul’s Cathedral Hill neighborhood, overlooking downtown and West 7th Street, means you will have access to some of the city’s finest food, drink, and sightseeing opportunities – most of which are right outside the front door.
FOOD
🍔 Red Cow | 393 Selby Ave, St Paul, MN 55102 | 6-minute walk
If you’re craving a burger, there is no place better (or closer) than Red Cow. Beef is of course the star here, but the turkey burger, bison burger, and vegan burgers are all incredible as well.
🍽️ W.A. Frost & Company | 374 Selby Ave #1825, St Paul, MN 55102 | 6-minute walk
Open since 1975, this fine-dining institution has been carrying St. Paul’s food culture on its back for over 50 years. Come for full dinner or just enjoy a few small plates in the 1920’s-style lounge, and don’t forget to check out the basement wine cellar as well.
🍣 Yumi Sushi Bar | 400 Selby Ave, St Paul, MN 55102 | 10-minute walk
Elegant but unassuming, Yumi is one of St. Paul’s best sushi spots. Try the yakisoba, udon, or izakaya-style skewers if you’re not in the mood for sushi.
Golden Thyme Restaurant & Bar | 934 Selby Ave, St Paul, MN 55104 | 31-minute walk, 6-minute drive, 11-minute bus
A black-owned restaurant in St. Paul’s historically Black Rondo neighborhood serves Southern-inspired classics – catfish po’boys, mac and cheese, Johnny cakes and more – with a fantastic bar, happy hour specials and live music onstage.
🥗 J. Selby’s | 169 Victoria Street S, St Paul, MN 55104 | 28-minute walk, 6-minute drive, 8-minute bus
St. Paul’s premier vegan restaurant offers some of the tastiest eats whether you’re vegan or not – the Dirty Secret is a take on the classic McDonald’s Big Mac, and the “soyclones,” soy-based soft-serve ice cream, are the best way to end (or start) any meal.
🥐 Marc Heu Patisserie Paris | 156 Dale St N, St Paul, MN 55102 | 17-minute walk, 3-minute drive, 7-minute bus
French baking phenom Marc Heu decided to make St. Paul his home and, with his wife Gaosong, has since blessed the neighborhood with a truly Parisian-style café, featuring some of the finest pastries – croissants, cakes, and an incredible pistachio Paris brest – and coffee this side of the Atlantic.
🥩 The Lexington | 1096 Grand Ave, St Paul, MN 55105 | 7-minute drive, 21-minute bus
St. Paul’s Hollywood Regent-style masterpiece, dating to 1935, is worth a trip for the building alone. But this is also an incredible steakhouse, with the finest cuts and the coldest martinis you will find anywhere in the city.
Bonus: The Lexington is rumored to be haunted – have your server take you on a tour of the upstairs and the Williamsburg Room if you’re interested in the paranormal.
Meritage Restaurant and Oyster Bar | 410 St Peter St, St Paul, MN 55102 | 19-minute walk, 4-minute drive
There is no better way to enjoy St. Paul’s historic downtown than from the wide windows of Meritage. The French menu is sophisticate but approachable – you can get one of the city’s best burgers or steak frites at the bar, belly up to the oyster bar for a quick bite or glass of champagne, or opt for the full prix-fixe menu experience.
Bonus: There are several bars, shops, and theaters to explore in the same building.
DRINKS
☕ Nina’s Coffee Café | 165 Western Ave N, St Paul, MN 55102 | 6-minute walk
Pronounced Nine-Ah and named for the famous (or infamous) madame Nina Clifford who ran St. Paul’s largest brothel at the turn of last century, you’ll find some of the city’s best coffee in a chic, boho-style setting. Take your coffee to go and explore the beautiful and historic Blair Arcade building in which the shop is housed as well.
🍸 Moscow on the Hill | 371 Selby Ave, St Paul, MN 55102 | 6-minute walk
Vodka is the focus here – and there is plenty of it, including their house-infusions and locally-loved Referent Horseradish – and all the cocktails they make are worth a shot. While this is listed under the drinks section, the authentic cuisine from Russian and surrounding region, including the to-die-for Pelmeni, should not be missed.
Bonus: If the weather is warm enough, they open one of city’s coziest patios in the back.
🍸 The Commodore | 79 Western Ave N, St Paul, MN 55102 | 10-minute walk
You might see F. Scott Fitzgerald’s ghost haunting the hallways of the Prohibition-era hotel turned condominium complex. The Commodore is a nod to St. Paul’s illustrious past of speakeasies and gangsters – try to snag a seat in the stunning 1930’s Berlin-style main bar.
🍺 Waldmann Brewery | 445 Smith Ave N, St Paul, MN 55102 | 24-minute walk, 4-minute drive
Originally opened as a German beer bar in 1857(!), this quaint, cozy brewery keeps St. Paul’s German brewing tradition alive with historic touches (including a wood-burning stove as the only source of heat and kerosene lamps for light), with some of the city’s best German food to boot.
🍹 Parlour | St. Paul
267 7th St W, St Paul, MN 55102 | 15-minute walk, 3-minute drive
Right down the hill on West 7th Street lies St. Paul’s nightlife district. There are plenty of options for drinks, including the 7th Street Truck Park (you’ll know when you see it). For craft cocktails, ambiance, and small plates (and what some say is the city’s best burger), however, there is no place better than Parlour.
Bonus: The mocktails and ice cream drinks are just as exciting as their alcoholic cocktails – root beer float lovers will feel right at home.
SIGHTSEEING
The Cathedral of St. Paul | 239 Selby Ave, St Paul, MN 55102 | 4-minute walk
The third-largest Catholic cathedral in the United States, with its 186-foot copper-clad dome soaring above the city, is truly a sight to behold. The cathedral is open from 7am – 7pm daily for respectful self-guided touring.
Summit Avenue | Start your stroll down Summit from Cathedral of St. Paul
This is the longest stretch of preserved Victorian-era mansions in the country. Yes, the entire country. Take a step back into the gilded age with a walking tour along stroll heading west on Summit John Ireland Boulevard will yield five miles of incredible homes from some of the greatest architects of the day, including Cass Gilbert and Clarence Johnston, Sr.
Bonus: The F. Scott Fitzgerald House, where the author’s first stories were formed, can be found at 599 Summit, and the “Lemon Meringue House” where Sinclair Lewis lived before becoming America’s first Nobel Prize winner in literature, can be found at 516 Summit.
Hmongtown Marketplace | 217 Como Ave, St Paul, MN 55103 | 4-minute drive
An indoor/outdoor Asian market campus spanning three buildings that offers exotic produce and prepared foods, plus apparel and accessories gives visitors a glimpse into St. Paul’s Hmong heritage and culture.
Science Museum of Minnesota | 120 W Kellogg Blvd, St Paul, MN 55102 | 16-minute walk, 20-minute drive
A celebration of innovation, history, and, of course, science, this massive museum highlights everything from health and wellness to race and anthropology, geology and paleontology, nature and the universe. Make sure to catch a show at the Omnitheater – this 90-foot dome screen is the largest in the world.
Bonus: Omnifest, which showcases a selection of the best Omnitheater films, will be in full swing during the conference dates.
Minnesota History Center | 345 W Kellogg Blvd, St Paul, MN 55102 | 6-minute walk
This dynamic museum and library, full of both rotating and permanent exhibits and displays and serves as the headquarters of the Minnesota Historical Society and celebrates everything to do with Minnesota history.
Minnesota State Capitol | 75 Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard., St Paul, MN 55155 | 14-minute walk
The building, designed by local architect turned national treasure Cass Gilbert (also responsible for the Supreme Court building in Washington D.C. and the Woolworth’s skyscraper in New York City among others) is one of the finest capitol buildings in the country. Tours are offered daily, and the Capitol Mall, with installations and statues honoring St. Paul’s cultural and civic heritage, is worth a stroll as well.
